Site Selection magazine awards Governor’s Cup to Texas

(Story by Graham Dodson)

Texas won Site Selection magazine’s Governor’s Cup for 2013, while Ohio finished second. This was the fifth time Texas has won the award in the last 10 years. Texas and Ohio have won the Governor’s Cup nine out of the last 10 years with the other usually finishing a close second.

The Governor’s Cup is presented annually to the state with the most new and expanded corporate facilities announced over the year. Texas previously won the Governor’s Cup in 2004, 2005, 2010 and 2012. Ohio took the cup in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Texas garnered first place again in 2013 with 657 qualifying projects, while Ohio finished second with 480 qualifying projects. A qualifying project had to have a capital investment of at least $1 million, had to create 50 or more jobs or have 20,000 square feet or more of new construction.

“States are the laboratories of innovation, and Texas continues to be a beacon of opportunity for job creators and entrepreneurs,” Governor Rick Perry said in a press release. “Over the past 12 years, Texas has built a strong foundation for the future of this state.”

According to Ray Covey, AEP Texas manager of economic development, the foundation that Governor Perry refers to consists of tax structure, regulatory environment, the state’s judicial system and a skilled work force. “It also doesn’t hurt to have low-cost energy, a well-developed transportation infrastructure and an abundant water supply,” said Covey.

Site Selection Editor-in-Chief Mark Arend says the states that appear at the top of the ranking have location attributes that are most in demand by corporate site selectors.

“Areas compete aggressively for capital investment, and Texas’ latest first-place Governor’s Cup finish is evidence of a highly successful economic development strategy,” Arend said in a press release.